Reading: II Peter 1:5-9, 5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith, virtue; to virtue, knowledge; 6 to knowledge, self-control; to self-control, perseverance; to perseverance, godliness; 7 to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.
It was September 8, 1998 at 8:18 p.m., the fourth inning at Busch Stadium, the anticipation in the crowd of 50,000 people was at an all time high, wondering if this was the time that Mark McGwire would break the record of 61 homeruns in a single season. The Cub’s starting pitcher, Steve Trachsel, wound up and threw a fastball low and in… then… *crack*… a line drive shot to left field. No one thought it was going out, not even McGwire, but it cleared the wall. The place irrupted. It was a mass celebration. McGwire, who had started his homerun trot celebration, rounded first base, but missed touching first base. Realizing what he had done, he turned around, went back and stomped on it just to be sure that he got it. He finished rounding the bases and crossed home as the new single season homerun leader. After the game, the Cub’s coach was asked if he would have challenged the homerun if McGwire didn’t go back and touch the base, to which he stated, “Of course.” Can you imagine the elation and celebration turning into mass confusion and anger, if the homerun didn’t count because he didn’t go back and touch first base?
Men, so many times we do the same thing in our lives. If you notice, it states add to your faith, virtue; and, then, knowledge. Virtue is “moral excellence”. Often we miss the base on our way to knowledge. Faith in Christ must come first, though. Without that, moral excellence is an impossibility.
Do you have moral excellence?
How will you achieve moral excellence today?(have a plan)
REVIEW
Did you achieve moral excellence today?
How were you able to ultimately achieve it?
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I find it a diligent effort every day to what I will let my eyes feast upon or what I will subject my ears to hear. Ever movie we go to rent at Redbox I spend time making sure it is appropriate to bring into my home. If it is going to have strong language or sexual situations then it doesn't come into the house. Just as a diet starts at the grocery store,so does our spiritual diet starts with us. We rented a movie the other day thinking it would be alright. In the first few minutes there was a drug scene and two women kissing each other. Well out came the movie and back to the machine it went. The world will tell you that this lifestyle is acceptable, but God's word says to guard your heart with all diligence.
ReplyDeleteHow True, and how many of us suffer from the poor decisions of our youth...
ReplyDeletePerry